FAQs
Common questions about the union and the vote
Plain answers to what APPs ask most.
Union Information
What is a labor union?
A union is an organization of workers who join together to negotiate with their employer as a collective. By bargaining as a group, workers have far more leverage than any individual negotiating alone. EPI research shows union workers earn about 13.5% more than comparable non-union workers — gains in wages, benefits, and job protections won at the bargaining table.
Who is the Union of American Physicians and Dentists?
Established in 1972, the UAPD is an affiliate of AFSCME and the AFL-CIO, based in Sacramento, CA. It represents roughly 4,500 private- and public-sector health-care practitioners.
What is the NLRB?
The National Labor Relations Board is an independent U.S. federal agency that enforces the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
What does it mean to have a union represent you?
Your employer must negotiate wages, benefits, schedules, and conditions with your elected representatives, and any agreement becomes a legally binding contract. Fred Hutch could not unilaterally cut pay or change conditions mid-contract — changes would require negotiation and the union’s agreement.
Can a union protect my job security?
Yes. Washington is an at-will state, so without a union Fred Hutch can discipline or terminate without showing cause. A typical union contract requires just cause. If you’re treated unfairly, the union can file a grievance and, if unresolved, take it to binding arbitration — due process non-union workers don’t have.
What if we vote the union in and then change our minds?
Once voted in, the union represents everyone in the bargaining unit and negotiates a contract — typically three years — binding on both sides. That stability protects workers from unilateral cuts. Workers with concerns can raise them through the union’s democratic processes, vote out leadership, or petition for a new election after the contract period.
Collective bargaining
If a union is voted in, would I get a raise or better benefits?
The evidence strongly points that way: EPI documents a 13.5% union wage premium after controlling for industry, occupation, and experience — about $22,275 a year for an APP earning $165,000. Specific terms are always subject to negotiation, but Fred Hutch must bargain in good faith. That’s the law.
What is collective bargaining?
It is the process by which an employer and a union negotiate terms of employment — pay, benefits, schedules, flexibility, and other conditions. Any agreement is a legally enforceable contract Fred Hutch cannot change without the union’s consent. It takes time, but per EPI, union workers earn about 13.5% more than comparable non-union workers.
Would the union ask me to strike during negotiations?
Strikes are a last resort and relatively rare — most contracts are reached through negotiation without a work stoppage. The right to strike is itself leverage that pushes employers toward fair agreements. If a strike ever did become necessary, that decision would be made democratically by union members, not imposed on them. UAPD has successfully negotiated contracts for health-care workers nationwide.